Rob McClanahan, a key player in the 1980 United States men’s Olympic hockey team’s historic triumph known as the Miracle on Ice, acknowledges both gratitude and regret when looking back on his hockey path. Less than three weeks after winning Olympic gold by defeating the Soviet Union in the semifinals and Finland in the final at Lake Placid, he launched his NHL career with the Buffalo Sabres on March 9, 1980. Despite this incredible start, McClanahan openly wishes he had approached his initial season differently during what he describes as an emotionally and physically draining time.
McClanahan shared candidly on the Rink Rap podcast with Forever Blueshirts,
“For me, it was tough at first. What I should have done, quite honestly, after we won the gold was not to sign with Buffalo, or sign with Buffalo and not played the rest of that year. I was absolutely physically and emotionally toast, and was done for that season. I should’ve waited until the Fall and just kind of regrouped myself.”
This exhaustion stemmed not only from the high-intensity Olympic run but also from the 63 games he played with the United States National Team leading up to the Games under coach Herb Brooks, known for his demanding style.
Fast Start in the NHL Followed by Playoff Near Miss
Despite his fatigue, McClanahan made an immediate impact by scoring his first NHL goal in only his second game against the Winnipeg Jets and assisting twice in the following game versus the Los Angeles Kings. He closed the season with seven points over 13 appearances, contributing to a Sabres squad that finished second in the league with 110 points. During the playoffs, he participated in 10 of 14 games and recorded one assist as Buffalo advanced to the third round, eventually falling to the New York Islanders in six games.
McClanahan was notably close to achieving both Olympic gold and a Stanley Cup Final appearance in the same year, a feat his former teammate Ken Morrow accomplished when the Islanders won the Cup in 1980. Yet, the toll of the long and intense season was clear. McClanahan reflected on his condition postseason, emphasizing the toll of Herb Brooks’ rigorous coaching and the demanding schedule from the prior year’s national team games.
He said,
“I never grew up thinking I wanted to win a gold medal. I never thought about it. But I did think about I’d love to be a professional hockey player.”
He noted that the Olympic year was essentially another step to join the NHL, adding,
“I would never look back and say that I wished I had done something differently because that experience that we had, that ’79-’80 season, was the most fun I ever had. And we learned so much about selfless play and about ourselves both as individuals, it just helped build our confidence, both as a team and as individuals.”
Rekindling Old Connections: McClanahan’s Time with the New York Rangers
After spells with the Buffalo Sabres and Hartford Whalers, and some time in the minor leagues, McClanahan rejoined his former college coach Herb Brooks in February 1982 when Brooks was coaching the New York Rangers. His return to Broadway also reunited him with several 1980 Olympic teammates including Mark Pavelich, Dave Silk, and Bill Baker. The Rangers’ general manager at the time was Craig Patrick, who had served alongside Brooks during the gold medal run.
McClanahan found his strongest NHL success during his tenure with the Rangers. He set personal career highs in the 1982-83 season with 22 goals, 26 assists, and 48 points, finishing fifth in goals and eighth overall in team scoring. His standout moment came on November 24, 1982, when he netted his only NHL hat trick against the Minnesota North Stars at Madison Square Garden.
McClanahan valued his time playing for New York and the atmosphere at the Garden, contrary to some negative perceptions. He explained,
“I think [Brooks] put me on [a line] with ‘Pav’ and Ron Duguay, if I’m not mistaken, early on when I got there, and I ended up loving to play in New York. I had heard in the past that people didn’t like to play in the Garden and the ice was bad, it was a pain to get to. I never had a problem with the ice and I certainly didn’t have a problem playing in Madison Square Garden. It was a lot of fun and the crowd was always supportive of what the Rangers did.”
The Rangers during McClanahan’s time consistently reached the playoffs, with memorable victories over the Philadelphia Flyers in the first round, though they eventually lost to the New York Islanders in the second round both seasons. Reflecting on those playoff battles, he shared,
“Obviously, the game against the North Stars, that definitely goes down in my memory bank for sure. But right up there with everything else is every time we played the Flyers in the playoffs, we hammered them, we smoked them, they couldn’t skate with us. Back in those days a bunch of us were labeled Smurfs (because of their diminutive stature), and the Flyers just did not know how to play against us. They just didn’t have the guys to stay with us, and we just steamrolled them.”
Unique Off-Ice Dynamics With Teammates Enhance Rangers Experience
Beyond the rink, McClanahan fondly recalls his close but occasionally challenging relationship with teammate Mark Pavelich, his roommate during road trips. The duo’s dynamic resembled the classic Odd Couple characters Felix and Oscar, yet they overcame differences to become strong roommates. He recalled with a smile,
“Pav and I used to room together on the road when I was playing in New York, and you want to talk about the Odd Couple, Felix and Oscar! But we worked through some disagreements and were able to turn into great roommates.”
His NHL career wound down during the 1983-84 season, when he played 41 games for the Rangers and recorded 14 points. Tragedy later touched this group when Pavelich, a two-time 30-goal scorer and one of the most skilled Olympic teammates, passed away in 2021 after suffering from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a neurological disorder impacting mental health.
McClanahan paid tribute to Pavelich’s remarkable talent and contributions, stating,
“We played against each other in college, he was a great college player. If people watched those [Olympic] games, Pav was instrumental in assisting on a lot of really key goals. He assisted on ‘Rizzo’s’ (Mike Eruzione’s game-winning) goal over the Soviets. He assisted on Billy Baker’s tying goal against Sweden (in Team USA’s first game), and that was probably one of the most important goals of the entire tournament. He assisted on Buzzy Schneider’s goal, the first goal we scored against the Soviets. Pav was exceptional at every level he played, and with the New York Rangers, … he still holds the rookie record for points (with 76 in 1981-82).”
Legacy of the Miracle on Ice Endures Decades Later
The achievements of McClanahan and his teammates continue to resonate, even 45 years after their historic victory. Recent cultural tributes include the Netflix documentary “Miracle: The Boys of ’80” and the presence of two former Rangers representing the U.S. at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. McClanahan, now 67, remains deeply proud of what the team accomplished, underscoring the lasting impact on both hockey and American sports history.
He emphasized,
“We’re really proud of what we did, what we accomplished. We would’ve been just as proud if we didn’t win a gold medal, but to be able to share it with others and to have it resonate to this day is kind of amazing.”
